Mail-transportation system.



PATRRTRRocR- 20, 19.03. T. W. RUSSELL.

MAIL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

' APPLICATION FILED we. 24, 1903.

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TLW RUSSELL. MAIL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION Flinn 11116.24, 1903.

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ing to be a full, clear, and exact description UNITED STATES Patented October 20, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS W. RUSSELL, OF UNION BRIDGE, MARYLAND, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO REUBEN SAYLER, OF NEAR UNION BRIDGE, FRED- ERICK COUNTY, MARYLAND.

MAIL-TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,068, dated October 20, 1903.

- Application filed August 24, 1903. Serial1 lo. 170,566. (No model.)

Union Bridge, in the county of Carroll and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Transportation Systems; and I do declare the followot the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to elevated carriers for transporting mail-matter, and is primarily designed for the use of parties living along the route of mail-carriers in rural districts.

The object of the invention isto improve the construction and operation of the system shown in the patent granted to me, numbered 676,916 and dated June 25, 1901, and, as in this former patent, the present invention embodies an elevated carrier which runs along a suitable trackway and has connected thereto the mail-receptacle, combined with a oable-wheel for operating said carrier-and an alarm device adapted to be sounded upon movement of the carrier to indicate when mail-matter has been placed in said receptacle.

Improved means are also shown for tripping the detent which controls the alarm and for retaining the carrier in place upon the trackway when passing'around curves.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mail-transporting device embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the house-terminal part, on a larger scale and looking at the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a similar view looking i'n the opposite direction. Fig. 5 is a similar View on the line 5 5 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the terminal post atthe delivery end of the line and may be located at or the mail-carrier, and 2 denotes the post at the house end of the line, which may be located at a point adjacent to the porch or door of the house of the party using the device. A V

Between the posts 1 and 2 are arranged a series of intermediate posts 3, of which there may be any desired number, spaced apart at suitable distances to support the trackway 4. The posts 3 are provided at their upper ends with supporting-brackets 5, consisting of a rectangular frame, one of the sides of which forms an attaching plate 5 whereby the frame is bolted to the upper ends of the posts 3. Projecting laterally from each of the plates 5 is a bracket-arm 6, the outer end of which is reduced in size and curved upwardly, having formed therein a groove in which is seated the trackway rod or wire 7, the ends near the gate along the roadway traveled by The stretching device 8 on the post 1 ,con-

sists of abolt or cylindrical bar 9, which is rotatably mounted in the post and is provided in one end with an eye in which is fastened the end of the track-rod 7. The opposite end of the bolt 9 is provided with two eyes arranged at right angles to each other, and in one or the other of the holes is driven a pin 10, which is adapted to engage a stop-pin 12, driven into the post, as shown. Thus the bolt 9 is held from rotating in the post 1. The stretching device at the opposite end of the line consists of a bolt or bar 13, which isrotatably mounted in a bearing-bracket 14,

bolted to the post 2, and to one end of the bolt 13 is connected this end of the track-rod. The opposite end of the bar is provided with eyes arranged at right angles to each other, and in one of the same is driven a pin 15, which is adapted to engage a stop-pin 16, as shown. The outer end of the bolt 13 is squared for the reception ofa wrench, whereby the same may be turned. v

In hanging the trackway rod or wire 7 it is arranged in the grooves of the bracket-arms 6 and the ends thereof connected to the bolts ICC eyes in the bolts and engage the stop-pins 12 mail-matter has been deposited in the mailand 16 and hold the track-rod taut. The ends of the bracket-arms G forming the sides of the groove are now clamped against the rod to securely hold the same in place. Supported to traverse the trackway 7 is a wheeled carrier 17, having depending arms 18, in the lower end of which are formed eyes for the reception of a securing-pin 19, from which is suspended by loops or eyes 20 a mail-receptacle 21, of any suitable form and construction. A brace-bar 22 is connected to the carriage at its upper end and to the mail-receptacle at its lower end, thereby rigidly connecting the carrier and receptacle together.

On the under side of the mail-receptacle is secured a longitndinally-disposed depending plate 23, to the end of which are connected the opposite ends of a rope or cable 24, thereby forming an endless cable which passes around grooved guide pulleys 25 and 26, which are rotatably mounted on the post 1 at the delivery end of the line, and at the opposite or house end the cable passes around a grooved operating or cable wheel 27, which is journaled in bearings on a frame 23, fixed to the upper end of the post 2, a crank-handle 27 being connected to the wheel 27, with which to turn the same.

The mail-receptacle is secured to the lower stretch of the cable. The upper stretch of the same when running in a straight course is supported by grooved pulleys 29, which are journaled in brackets 30, depending from the upper cross-bar of the rectangular supporting-brackets 5. Secured to the brackets 30 are guard-plates 31, which project over the pulleys 29 and prevent the cable from slipping off from the same.

When for any reason it is necessary to direct the cable out of a straight course, the direction of the same is changed by means of grooved pulleys 32, horizontally mounted in pairs on the upper cross-piece of one of the brackets 5, and by a pair of pulleys 33, horizontally mounted on the lower cross-piece, one of the pulleys 33 being somewhat larger than the other and having a flange on its lower end, while the other pulley 33 has a flange on its upper end, the pulleys 32 being engaged by the upper stretch of wire, while the pulleys 33 are engaged by the lower stretch and permit the passage of the plate 23 when the mail-receptacle passes this point.

When it is necessary to direct the course of the cable downwardly, as at the end of the line, to bring the mail-receptacle within reach of the party receiving the same, a verticallydisposed grooved pulley 34 is mounted in a bearing-bracket formed in the lower crossbar of the bracket 5 on the post nearest the wheel 27. Plates 34 are arranged above the pulley 34 and overlap the edges of the same to prevent the cable being caught between the sides of the pulley and the bearing-bracket.

An alarm device is provided in connection with cable-operating wheel to indicate when receptacle. This comprises a spring-actuated clockwork alarm mechanism of any suitable construction, said mechanism being inclosed in a casing 35, fastened to the post 2, and is provided with a winding-key 35 and a vibrating striker 36, which is adapted to contact with a bell or gong 37, mounted adjacent thereto. The striker 36 is normally held down and prevented from vibrating by a detent consisting of a pivotally-mounted laterally'projecting arm or finger 38, which is adapted to be swung into and out of the path of movement of the striker. The end of the arm or finger 38 is adapted to be engaged and turned to release the striker by means of a star-whee139, which is fixed on the end of the shaft of the operating-wheel and to rotate therewith.

The operation is as follows: The normal position of the parts is shown in Fig. 1, with the carrier 17 and the mail-receptacle 21 located at the mail-delivery point. When the mail-carrier reaches this point, he first removes from the receptacle 21 any mail-matter which may have been deposited therein for collection and then inserts within the receptacle the mail-matter intended for the owner or user of the device. Vhen this has been done, the carrier gives an initial or starting movement to the carrier 17 sufficient to cause it to move the rope or cable 24 a slight distance, which will turn the operatingwheel 27 and the star-Wheel 30, fixed to the shaft thereof. In turning the star-wheel 39 one of the points or fingers of the same will engage the pivoted arm 38 and swing the same out of the path of movement of the striker 36 and permit the same to vibrate and strike the bell, and so sound an alarm, thus indicating that mail has been deposited within the receptacle. The party using the carrier may then by turning the operating-wheel draw the mail receptacle and carrier toward him. After removing the mail-matter from the receptacle the operating-wheel may be turned in a reverse direction and the carrier and receptacle sent back to the delivery end of the line and the alarm mechanism set in readiness for another delivery of mail.

In order that the operator may know when the carrier and mail-receptacle is approaching the delivery end of the line, as the same is being moved in that direction, so that he may slow up on the speed of the operating mechanism and prevent the carriage from striking the supporting devices at this end of the line, and thereby prevent the parts from being injured, a signal of some suitable form is employed, the form of signal shown in the drawings consisting in attaching to the upper stretch of the operating rope or cable 24 a section of bright-colored material 40, such as a piece of red cloth attached to the cable at such a point that the same will approach the operator as the carriage and mailreceptacle approach the opposite end of the line, thus enabling the operator to slow up on IOC IIO

the operating mechanism and stop the same at the proper time to prevent the carriage from forcibly striking at the delivery end of the apparatus.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. 7

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an elevated trackway, a carrier mounted to run thereon, an operating cable-wheel and cable for moving said carrier, a bell, a striker therefor, a detent for normally holding the striker against movement, and means operated by said cablewheel for moving said detent out of the'path of movement of said striker, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a trackway rod or wire, a carrier mounted to run thereon, a mail-receptacle connected to the carrier, a cable- Wheel and cable for operating the carrier, a star-wheel fixed on the end of said cable- Wheel shaft to rotate therewith, a bell, a vibrating striker adapted to contact with the gong, and a pivoted arm or finger adapted to normally hold the striker from movement and to be swung out of the path of said striker by the arms of said star-wheel upon the revolution of the same by a slight initial movement of said carrier and cable, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a trackway rod or wire,

a carrier mounted to run thereon, a mail-receptacle connected-to the carrier, a cablewheel and cable for operating the carrier,

stretching devices arranged at the ends of said trackway rod or wire whereby the same may be tightly stretched and held, grooved guide-pulleys for supporting the stretches of said operating-cable, means for preventing the casual displacement of said cable from said pulleys, and means for directing the course of said cable and carrier around bends or curves in the line of said trackway, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of' an elevated trackway, a carrier mounted to run thereon, an operating cable-wheel and cable for moving said carrier, a bell, a striker therefor, a detent for normally holding the striker against movement, means operated by said cable-wheel for moving said detent out of the path of movement of said striker, and means for indicating the approach of the carrier at the delivery end of the device, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS W. RUSSELL. Witnesses:

SAML. EPPY, CLEVELAND ANDERS. 

